Medical Humanities Research and Education

Educational Courses

Introductory Course in Medical Humanities

This programme aims to grow expertise and build capacity for Medicine ACP faculty, including doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals, in Medical Humanities. This is the first series of the courses in Medical Humanities in Singapore for healthcare professionals.

During the course, trainees will be engaged in team based teaching, experiental learning opportunities at the museum and theatre and faculty networking. The certification will be based on group project presentation of a lesson plan based on the medical humanities.

DAY 1

• Introduction to Course and the Medical Humanities by Dr Anantham Devanand and Professor Jeannette R Ickovics
• Humanistic Medical Practice and Professionalism by Dr Warren Fong
• Project Work Introduction by Dr Ong Eng Koon
• Medical Pluralism in Singapore and Asia by Andy Sim, Dr Celine Coderey and Kathryn Muyskens
• Medical Pluralism in Singapore and Asia by Kathrn Muyskens
• Virtual Film/Theatre/Concert Experience by Dr Crystal Lim and Professor Rajeev Patke

DAY 2

• Living and Dying Well by Dr Natalie Woong and A/Prof Matthew D.Walker
• Physician Responsibility and Global Health by Dr Gayathri Devi Nadarajan and Asst Prof Gretchen Head
• The Art of Listening by Dr Kevin Goldstein
• The Art of Listening (Narrative Medicine) by Dr Ong Eng Koon
• Reading the Body, Writing the Body by Ms Chiam Min
• Reading the Body, Writing the Body by Mr Lawrence Lacambra Ypil

Student Clinical Elective in Palliative Care and Medical Humanities

This is a 4-week clinical elective where students will be embedded in the Palliative Care team at the Internal Medicine department at SGH and exposed to internal medicine teaching opportunities within the department and as part of the SingHealth Residency Programme.

The humanities exposure will include creative therapies such as art and music therapy, as well as social work and advance care planning team sessions. This includes discussions on anthropology, ethics consultations and opportunities to do community patient visits. There will also be the option of participating in a humanities or palliative care project.

This elective is recommended for students who want to explore and experience both palliative care and the medical humanities. Interested students should contact the supervisor, Dr Natalie Woong, Consultant at Department of Internal Medicine, SGH, to arrange a meeting.

Note: For AY2021

• Phase 4 students from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine should apply before 31 Jan 2021 for the elective period of 15 March to 7 May 2021

Current Research Studies

How does an educational programme based on the medical humanities affect empathy and burnout levels of junior doctors in Singapore?

Lead principal investigator, Dr Ong Eng Koon was awarded the 2019 JOAM Education Grant in support of his current one-year study of the impact of a humanities curriculum on junior doctors' level of empathy and burnout.

This study is born from Dr Ong's Humanism Aspirations as a Propeller for Professional development in Palliative medicine Education (HAPPE) project in 2017, where he looked into ways of using literature to facilitate discussions on empathy and patient-centered care for junior doctors.

Dr Ong is also a member of the Medical Humanities team at Medicine ACP.